Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

0. C. MEHURIN.

. l .THILL ooUPLING. l No. 293,341. n Paltentedfebgz, 1884i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR C. MEHRIN, OF NEWARK, OHIO.

THILL-ooUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,341, dated February 12, 1884.

' Application tiled June 28, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, OscAE C. lvIEHUEIN, of Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Thill-Fastenings; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specication.

My invention relates to an improvement in thill-fastenings; and it consists in the combination of a perforated draft-plate, which is attached directly to the clip, the shaft-iron which has its rear end formed into an eccentric, and a spring which bears against lthe rear end of the shaft-iron, to prevent rattling, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a thill-coupling which is cheap in construction and simple in operation, and one whichfwill allow the shafts to be attached and detached in a moment;

Figure 1 is a perspective of a thillcoupling embodying my invention, a portion of the draftplate being broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, showing the parts in position while the shafts are in use.

A represents the axle, B the clip, and Cthe draft-plate, which is secured directly to the clips in the usual manner. Through the front end of this draft-plate is made an opening large enough to readily admit the rear end of the shaft-iron. The shaft-iron has its rear end made cam-shaped, as shown, with the greatest thickness at the shoulder D. Fromthe shoulder the iron is curved to a point, as shown, This iron is reduced in thickness at the shoulder, for the purpose or" allowing it to be passed more readily through the opening in the draftplate. When the shafts have their front ends resting on the ground, the iron rises-upward, so that the shoulder D rises slightly above the top of the draftfplate, as shown in Fig.' l. When, however, the shafts are in use, or when their front ends are raised upward and are drawn forward, the rear end of the iron is forced down through the draft-plate, as shown in Fig. 2.

The object of the shoulder D is. to pass into the opening of the clip, so as to ill it snugly when the thills are in use, and toclear the opening upon the end when the thills are down and the shafts are tobe removed. Below this shoulder the thill-iron is simply tapered to a point. presses on the spring and places it under ten sion. Also, secured directly to the clip, undern eath the draft-plate, is the spring G, which has its front end to bear aga-inst the shaft-iron, to prevent rattling while the vehicle is in motion.' This spring has its front end curved, as shown, and when the rear end of the shaft Viron is forced down through the draft-plate,

the spring presses upward against it with suflcient force to. prevent the slightest rattling.

hen it is desired to detach the shafts from the vehicle, it is only necessary to drop the front end of the shafts upon the ground, when the shaft-iron will rise upward,as shown in Fig. l. By raisingupward and pulling slightly backward,the shafts can be at once detached, and can be as readily attached again.

Having thus described my invention, I .claim- The combination, in a thill-iron having on its rear end the downwardlyprojecting hook or cam,and provided on its rear end or convex surface with a shoulder, of a draft-plate, C, having an opening through it just large enough The shoulder, being turned down, 1

to admit the 'thill-iron, and the spring G,

which bears against the thill-iron, the parts being constructed and arranged to operate substantially as shown.

In testimony WhereofI affix my presence of two witnesses. 4

OSCAR C. MEHURIN.

signature in Witnesses: l

HooPEE FRANKLIN, GEO. F. FRANKLIN. 

